docs: def user_exists(self,
  	                user,
  	                note=None,
  	                loglevel=logging.DEBUG):
  		"""Returns true if the specified username exists.
  
  		@param user:   username to check for
  		@param note:   See send()
  
  		@type user:    string
  
  		@rtype:        boolean
  		"""
  		shutit = self.shutit
  		shutit.handle_note(note)
  		exists = False
  		if user == '':
  			return exists
  		#                v the space is intentional, to avoid polluting bash history.
  		# The quotes before XIST are deliberate, to prevent the command from matching the expect.
  		ret = self.send(ShutItSendSpec(self,
  		                               send=' command id %s && echo E""XIST || echo N""XIST' % user,
  		                               expect=['NXIST', 'EXIST'],
  		                               echo=False,
  		                               loglevel=loglevel,
  		                               ignore_background=True))
  		if ret:
  			exists = True
  		# sync with the prompt
  		self.expect(self.default_expect)
  		shutit.handle_note_after(note=note)
  		return exists